Penn State Lands 2026 Commitment From New Jersey Lineman

Marlen Bright, a 3-star offensive lineman from New Jersey, commits to the Nittany Lions' 2026 recruiting class.

Penn State football coach James Franklin celebrates with students after a Nittany Lions victory at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren | Imagn Images

Penn State received a commitment Saturday from 3-star New Jersey offensive lineman Marlen Bright, who joined the Nittany Lions' 2026 recruiting class. Bright announced his decision Saturday.

Bright, who plays at DePaul Catholic, chose Penn State from a top-3 that included Illinois and West Virginia. Bright also received offers from North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas A&M and recently from Washington and Florida State. He is the eighth-ranked player in New Jersey and a top-50 lineman nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Bright (6-6 260 pounds) has made multiple trips to Penn State over the past year, including an official visit in May and a camp appearance in June. Bright also attended a Penn State junior day event this past winter. He is the 567th-ranked player nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite.

What Marlen Bright's commitment means for Penn State

Bright became the third offensive tackle to commit to Penn State's 2026 class, joining Harrisburg's Kevin Brown and Jack Fuchs of Tennessee. Brown is nation's eighth-ranked player at his position, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Bright's decision follows a regional recruiting miss on the offensive line for Penn State. On July 3, 5-star lineman Immanuel Iheanacho chose Oregon from a final 4 that included Penn State, LSU and Auburn. Iheanacho, No. 22 nationally overall according to the 247Sports Composite, was the highest-rated player left on Penn State's 2026 recruiting list.

Bright became the 24th player to commit to Penn State's 2026 recruiting class, which has dipped out of the top 10 nationally. Once ranked fifth nationally, Penn State is now 14th in the 247Sports Composite team rankings. Penn State's 2026 class also fell behind Oregon and Michigan to fifth in the Big Ten.

The national recruiting rankings shift wildly in early July, though, since it has become the unofficial season of commitments. Penn State still has more targets set to announce, notably 3-star defensive standout Tyson Harley of Washington, D.C., on Saturday night.